How Do I Clean Spilled Coffee In My Car?
Few things compare to the disappointment of spilling a fresh cup of coffee in your car and it landing on those freshly cleaned seats – especially when you’re running late. So how do you quickly get it cleaned up before it sets and stains? Follow this guide from Ottobot Motors to learn how you can clean spilled coffee in your car before it stains.
Cleaning Coffee Spills
- Blot the spilled coffee as quickly as possible. Find anything absorbent that you have lying around (paper towel, napkin, cloth, etc.) and try to soak up as much of the spill as you can without rubbing it into the seat.
- Apply a spray-on cleaner to the spot and gently rub with a clean towel or sponge.
- Wipe down any additional spilled coffee that ended up on the door trim, cup holder, carpet, or other surfaces
- Rinse the spot with clean water and blot until there is no coffee stain appearing on the cloth you are using.
- Dry the seat with a hairdryer or leave the windows down to dry out the spot if it is warm out.
- If a faint stain remains, mix warm water with vinegar and apply it to the stain then wipe up with a fresh cloth.
- If a stale coffee smell seems to linger in your vehicle, counter it with baking soda or an odor absorber. Just be sure to allow your car to air out if you use any cleaners inside the vehicle.
Catch those coffee spills as soon as they happen and don’t let yourself put off cleaning it up. A set stain will leave a lingering smell and be much more difficult to clean up than a fresh spill. Find your next vehicle in the Ottobot Motors used car inventory and contact us to set up a test drive to get yourself behind the wheel today!
What To Do If You Find Old Spilled Coffee in Your Car
If you can’t act on a stain quickly and it is allowed to dry, the same warm water and vinegar mixture from the list above can still help. Use one tablespoon of vinegar for every 16 tablespoons of water into a spray bottle to more easily address the problem areas. Leave this substance to set for a minute or two before using clean water to rinse the solution off. Then, blow-dry the spot. This can be repeated as many times as necessary.
Certain glass cleaners can also be useful in these circumstances but test yours on an inconspicuous part of your upholstery first to make sure it won’t cause its own discoloration.
You should also keep in mind that all of the above tips apply to cloth upholstery. If you have leather seats, you will likely need a pH-balanced leather cleaner to help get rid of the spilled coffee on your car seat. You can typically find this in most stores with an automotive section. Alternatively, you can go to a detailing center, where experts are well-trained in the process of how to clean spilled coffee in a car. They can also remove dirt and dust from other areas, such as the cracks between seats and the dashboard, and shampoo the carpet for an overall fresher look and smell.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spilled Coffee in Car Smells
How do you get coffee smell out of your car?
You can make a paste out of three parts baking soda and one part water and apply this directly to cloth upholstery with a toothbrush. Then, you can blot the area and blow-dry it. However, if you have leather seats or the smell continues to linger, consider just leaving a box of baking soda or another odor absorber, like charcoal, in the car for a few days.
How do you get coffee out of fabric seats?
You can use a recipe of 1/16 white vinegar and 15/16 water mixed in a spray bottle on the area. Let the solution sit for a few minutes before blotting it with a microfiber cloth and blow-drying the spot. You can also spray glass cleaner on the stain after testing it on a non-conspicuous area first to ensure it doesn’t react strangely to your upholstery.
How do you get rotten coffee smell out of carpet?
Baking soda is an odor absorber. Most smells, including most kinds of coffee, are acidic. The baking soda, therefore, helps neutralize the car’s pH level, which can make it smell better. You can sprinkle the baking soda onto the carpet, let it sit for a while, and then vacuum it up or keep an opened box in the car for a few days.
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